Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Untraditional Beach Reads

Hey, ladies!

It's Top Ten Tuesday by The Broke and The Bookish! Today's topic is all about beach reads (could also be just general vacation type read!). Personally, I don't really care for the typical beach reads as my beach reads. I like my beach reads to be more actioned packed, adventurous and enthralling, rather than light, fluffy and easy to set down. Hey, if I'm on vacation, that means I have time to get absorbed in a great story! Plus, I'm in Florida and get to be on these beaches year round. ;)


With that in mind, here are a few of my favorite "untraditional" beach reads!

In no real order.....

10. Donners of The Dead by Karina Halle

***A Standalone Horror Romance***

A note about this book: Donners of the Dead is set in 1851 – couples were often thrust into marriage together with short courtships, racism was widespread and not overly frowned upon, and women had little to no rights. What wouldn't fly in today's day and age was unfortunately the norm back then - it is worth keeping that in mind when reading this book.


Jake McGraw was unlike anyone I’d ever known. He was brash, rude, unapologetic and arrogant; chauvinistic, close-minded, and terribly stubborn. He was built like a tree, tall with a hard chest and wide shoulders and hands that looked like they could wrestle a bear. He was a cigar-chomping, scruffy-faced, beast of a man. I was pretty sure I hated him. And I know he hated me. But among the flesh-eating monsters in these snow-capped mountains, he was the only thing keeping me alive 

The year is 1851 and pioneers in search of California gold are still afraid to travel on the same route as the tragic Donner party did years before. When the last wagon train to go into the Sierra Nevada mountains fails to arrive at their destination, Eve Smith, an 18-year old half-native girl with immense tracking skills is brought along with the search party, headed by an enigmatic former Texas Ranger, Jake McGraw.

What they find deep in the dangerous snow-covered terrain is a terrifying consequence of cannibalism, giving new meaning to the term “monster.” While the search party is slowly picked off, one by one, Eve must learn to trust Jake, who harbors more than a few secrets of his own, in order to survive and prevent the monstrosities from reaching civilization.

I actually read this on the beach last year, same date as today! 

9. The Stars Never Rise by Rachel Vincent

Sixteen-year-old Nina Kane should be worrying about her immortal soul, but she's too busy trying to actually survive. Her town's population has been decimated by soul-consuming demons, and souls are in short supply. Watching over her younger sister, Mellie, and scraping together food and money are all that matters. The two of them are a family. They gave up on their deadbeat mom a long time ago.

When Nina discovers that Mellie is keeping a secret that threatens their very existence, she'll do anything to protect her. Because in New Temperance, sins are prosecuted as crimes by the brutal Church and its army of black-robed exorcists. And Mellie's sin has put her in serious trouble.

To keep them both alive, Nina will need to trust Finn, a fugitive with deep green eyes who has already saved her life once and who might just be an exorcist. But what kind of exorcist wears a hoodie?

Wanted by the Church and hunted by dark forces, Nina knows she can't survive on her own. She needs Finn and his group of rogue friends just as much as they need her.

Completely addictive and kept me on the edge of my seat. 

8. Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning

"My name is MacKayla, Mac for short. I'm a sidhe-seer, one who sees the Fae, a fact I accepted only recently and very reluctantly.

My philosophy is pretty simple - any day nobody's trying to kill me is a good day in my book. I haven't had many good days lately. Not since the walls between Man and Fae came down. But then, there's not a sidhe-seer alive who's had a good day since then."

When MacKayla's sister was murdered, she left a single clue to her death, a cryptic message on Mac's cel phone. Journeying to Ireland in search of answers, Mac is soon faced with an even greater challenge: staying alive long enough to master a power she had no idea she possessed - a gift that allows her to see beyond the world of man, into the dangerous realm of the Fae.

As Mac delves deeper into the mystery of her sister's death, her every move is shadowed by the dark, mysteriou Jericho...while at the same time, the ruthless V'lane - an alpha Fae who makes sex an addiction for human women - closes in on her. As the boundary between worlds begins to crumble, Mac's true mission becomes clear: to find the elusive Sinsar Dubh before someone else claims the all-powerful Dark Book - because whoever gets to it first holds nothing less than complete control both worlds in their hands. 

One of my all time favorite series. May be time for a reread! 

Because Barrons. Duh. 

7. Killing Sarai by J.A. Redmerski

Sarai was only fourteen when her mother uprooted her to live in Mexico with a notorious drug lord. Over time she forgot what it was like to live a normal life, but she never let go of her hope to escape the compound where she has been held for the past nine years.

Victor is a cold-blooded assassin who, like Sarai, has known only death and violence since he was a young boy. When Victor arrives at the compound to collect details and payment for a hit, Sarai sees him as her only opportunity for escape. But things don’t go as planned and instead of finding transport back to Tucson, she finds herself free from one dangerous man and caught in the clutches of another.

While on the run, Victor strays from his primal nature as he succumbs to his conscience and resolves to help Sarai. As they grow closer, he finds himself willing to risk everything to keep her alive; even his relationship with his devoted brother and liaison, Niklas, who now like everyone else wants Sarai dead.

As Victor and Sarai slowly build a trust, the differences between them seem to lessen, and an unlikely attraction intensifies. But Victor’s brutal skills and experience may not be enough in the end to save her, as the power she unknowingly holds over him may ultimately be what gets her killed.

This is their story…

While I didn't feel the romance as much as I wanted to, it was still a very enjoyable and action-packed read. 

6. My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent

She doesn't see dead people. She senses when someone near her is about to die. And when that happens, a force beyond her control compels her to scream bloody murder. Literally.

Kaylee just wants to enjoy having caught the attention of the hottest guy in school. But a normal date is hard to come by when Nash seems to know more about her need to scream than she does. And when classmates start dropping dead for no apparent reason, only Kaylee knows who'll be next. 

Another Vincent book. I'll admit to not being a big fan of this first book, but the series got so much better as it went on. A really unique premise and the only love triangle I've ever read that was well done, too! 

5. Monster in His Eyes by J.M. Darhower

Ignazio Vitale is not a good man.

I suspect it, the first time I see him, sense the air of danger that surrounds the man. He has a way of commanding attention, of taking control, of knowing what I'm thinking before I even do.

It's alarming and alluring. It's dark and deadly. It's everything I've ever wanted but the last thing I truly need. Obsession.

It doesn't take him long to draw me into his web, charming me into his bed and trapping me in his life, a life I know nothing about until it's too late. He has secrets, secrets I can't fathom, secrets that make it so I can't walk away, no matter how much I beg him to let me go. I see it sometimes in his eyes, a darkness that's both terrifying and thrilling. He's a monster, wrapped up in a pretty package, and what I find when I unmask him changes everything.

I want to hate him.

Sometimes, I do.

But it doesn't stop me from loving him, too.

Absolutely loved the tension in this one!

4. The Bird and The Sword by Amy Harmon

Swallow, Daughter, pull them in, those words that sit upon your lips. Lock them deep inside your soul, hide them ‘til they’ve time to grow. Close your mouth upon the power, curse not, cure not, ‘til the hour. You won’t speak and you won’t tell, you won’t call on heav’n or hell. You will learn and you will thrive. Silence, Daughter. Stay alive.

The day my mother was killed, she told my father I wouldn’t speak again, and she told him if I died, he would die too. Then she predicted the king would trade his soul and lose his son to the sky.

My father has a claim to the throne, and he is waiting in the shadows for all of my mother’s words to come to pass. He wants desperately to be king, and I just want to be free.

But freedom will require escape, and I’m a prisoner of my mother’s curse and my father’s greed. I can’t speak or make a sound, and I can’t wield a sword or beguile a king. In a land purged of enchantment, love might be the only magic left, and who could ever love . . . a bird?

This book is absolutely worth the hype. Amazing, and I don't even like fantasy! It's now on my best of 2016 shelf. Full review to come soon. 

3. Chicagoland Vampires by Chloe Neill

Merit, Chicago’s newest vampire, is learning how to play well with others. Other supernaturals, that is. Shapeshifters from across the country are convening in the Windy City, and as a gesture of peace, Master Vampire Ethan Sullivan has offered their leader a very special bodyguard: Merit. Merit is supposed to protect the Alpha, Gabriel Keene—and to spy for the vamps while she’s at it. Oh, and luckily Ethan’s offering some steamy, one-on-one combat training sessions to help her prepare for the mission.

Merit must accept the assignment, even though she knows that she’ll probably regret it. And she’s not wrong. Someone is gunning for Gabriel Keene, and Merit soon finds herself in the line of fire. She’ll need all the help she can get to track down the would-be assassin, but everywhere she turns, there are rising tensions between supernaturals—not least between her and a certain green-eyed, centuries old master vampire.

I was skeptical with this series up until book 3, but it's now one of my very favorites!

2. King by T.M. Frazier

Homeless. Hungry. Desperate.

Doe has no memories of who she is or where she comes from.

A notorious career criminal just released from prison, King is someone you don’t want to cross unless you’re prepared to pay him back in blood, sweat, pu$$y or a combination of all three.

King’s future hangs in the balance. Doe’s is written in her past. When they come crashing together, they will have to learn that sometimes in order to hold on, you have to first let go. 


Warning: This book contains graphic violence, consensual and nonconsensual sex, drug use, abuse, and other taboo subjects and adult subject matter. Although originally slated to be a standalone, KING is now a two part series.

Complete and utter guilty pleasure.

1. Lover Awakened by J.R. Ward

In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there’s a deadly war raging between vampires and their slayers. And there exists a secret band of brothers like no other - six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Of these, Zsadist is the most terrifying member of the Black Dagger Brotherhood.

A former blood slave, the vampire Zsadist still bears the scars from a past filled with suffering and humiliation. Renowned for his unquenchable fury and sinister deeds, he is a savage feared by humans and vampires alike. Anger is his only companion, and terror is his only passion—until he rescues a beautiful aristocrat from the evil Lessening Society.

Bella is instantly entranced by the seething power Zsadist possesses. But even as their desire for one another begins to overtake them both, Zsadist’s thirst for vengeance against Bella’s tormentors drives him to the brink of madness. Now, Bella must help her lover overcome the wounds of his tortured past, and find a future with her… 

I've only read this one, but I really enjoyed it. Made me cry, swoon, and my heart pound!

What's your go-to beach read?

Birthday Book Haul

Hey, ladies!


I'm on a book buying budget, but I did let myself spend a bit for my birthday week before last, plus a gift card. I love buying books, haha.

Falling in love was just the beginning 

The conclusion to the epic ten-book series about the unbreakable strength of family, friendship, and love. 

Lily & Lo are back one final time. Childhood best friends and soul mates.

Ryke & Daisy are back one final time. Wild risk-takers and flirty adventurers.

Connor & Rose are back one final time. Genius rivals and intellectual teammates. 

Ten years of laughter. Of heartache. And love.

Swallow, Daughter, pull them in, those words that sit upon your lips. Lock them deep inside your soul, hide them ‘til they’ve time to grow. Close your mouth upon the power, curse not, cure not, ‘til the hour. You won’t speak and you won’t tell, you won’t call on heav’n or hell. You will learn and you will thrive. Silence, Daughter. Stay alive.

The day my mother was killed, she told my father I wouldn’t speak again, and she told him if I died, he would die too. Then she predicted the king would trade his soul and lose his son to the sky.

My father has a claim to the throne, and he is waiting in the shadows for all of my mother’s words to come to pass. He wants desperately to be king, and I just want to be free.

But freedom will require escape, and I’m a prisoner of my mother’s curse and my father’s greed. I can’t speak or make a sound, and I can’t wield a sword or beguile a king. In a land purged of enchantment, love might be the only magic left, and who could ever love . . . a bird? 

Submerged in a world of sex, danger, and vampires, will Aldo find the answers she seeks before it's too late?
There is balance in life most know nothing about. Some are put here to simply exist, while others have been placed here to ensure life. Healers such as Aldo Lawson understand the power of their gift, although at times, it seems more a curse.
Upon meeting a handsome young healer named Thomas, Aldo’s life heads into a tailspin. With his arrival, Aldo’s aunt is forced to share a hard and scary truth—vampires exist. And not only do they exist, but they thirst for healer blood. Despite this new and frightening information, Aldo longs for a normal senior year. So close to achieving her goal, her world turns upside down when her aunt is murdered and Thomas disappears.
Riddled with questions, she sets out to find him. Submerged in a world filled with sex and danger, Aldo hopes to find the vampires that will lead her to Thomas. When they find her first, she is forced to piece together truths, deal with her pain, and find that not everything is what it seems. 

In a future where time travel has been outlawed, a black market exists for anyone with the money, connections, and nerve to request items from days past. As a Runner for one of the underground syndicates that now controls the timewaves, Stassi 2446-89 has seen it all: the fall of Rome, the rise of Hitler, the end of democracy, the establishment of time tourism, and the devastating consequences of it. Her job is to seamlessly slip through the past, in search of items of value to the syndicate's clientele.

Stassi's next assignment takes her to Paris in the 1920’s, in search of a lost manuscript by one of the twentieth century’s greatest writers. She and her partner, Gaige, are swept up in the City of Light during the height of fashion and culture—as alluring a locale as they’ve ever visited. But a seedier side of life lurks beneath the glamorous façade, and the pair quickly learns this run is more dangerous than any of their previous missions.

Because history isn’t playing out as it should be—a first for the syndicate. When the stakes are raised and it becomes a matter of life or death, Stassi and Gaige must ultimately decide how far they’re willing to go to ensure the future as they know it. 

Seduction has never been so sweet! The New York Timesbestselling author of the Cold Fury series—Alex, Garrett, Zack, and Ryker—returns with the first novel in a hot new trilogy.

Sela Halstead lost her innocence in a way that no sixteen-year-old should ever have to endure. She’s spent years trying to forget that night even while wondering about the identities of the monsters who brutalized her—until a telltale tattoo flashes across Sela’s TV screen. The incriminating ink belongs to Jonathon Townsend, the millionaire founder of The Sugar Bowl, a website that matches rich older men with impressionable young women. Obsessed with revenge, Sela infiltrates Townsend’s world, only to come face-to-face with a tantalizing complication: Beckett North, his charismatic business partner.

The tech mastermind behind The Sugar Bowl, Beck always gets what he wants, in business and in bed. And yet, for a man who’s done every dirty thing imaginable, there’s something about the naïve, fresh-faced Sela that sparks his hottest fantasies. Because with her, it’s not just about sex. Beck opens up to her in ways he never has with other girls. So why does he get the feeling that she’s hiding something? In a world of pleasure and power, the shocking truth could turn them against each other—or bind them forever.

Note: Sugar Daddy ends on a cliffhanger. Sela and Beck’s story continues in Sugar Rush and Sugar Free!

My name is Jade Lennon and I stand still for money. 

The night I saw Shane Arthur watching me everything changed. A man in a suit always catches my eye, but it was the way he looked at me that was different. Like he knew me or something. He didn’t know me, especially not in my costume. My sobriety rests on staying away from men, but there was something about him that made me throw caution to the wind. 

After all, I was never going to see him again, right? 

Wrong. 

Standing still isn’t the only way I make my money. I also bartend at a concert hall. Never in my wildest dreams did I think Shane was going to show up there. Not only that, but he’s the most recent addition to the orchestra. So now on a daily basis I have to resist one of the most beautiful men I’ve ever met and he plays the violin. For me that’s one hell of a deadly cocktail. 

He wants me to teach him how to live. I’m not sure how much a twenty-six year old recovering alcoholic who works in a bar and moonlights as a living statue can teach a world class concert violinist, but I’m sure going to try. 

Still Life with Strings is a story of music, art, sex, magical realism, and romance that you will never forget. 

Shatter the slipper. Spit out the apple. Fall for The Beast.  

All-star linebacker Cole Hawthorne is a beast on the field, destroying offenses one broken quarterback at a time. Though he’s a gifted athlete, his violent reputation makes him a liability to his team and a villain in the league. 

As Cole’s agent, it’s my responsibility to convince the brooding loner that being traded is better than getting banished from the game. If he loses his contract, this single mom is out of a job. 

So, it’s up to me to tame the beast. 

But the closer I get to the ferocious monster, the harder I fall for the passionate man underneath. He’s crude and charming. Tough and sweet. Dangerous…but even he can’t resist my baby’s giggle. 

Denying my feelings might protect my heart, but the trading deadline is closing in. When Cole reveals the dirty truth about the trade, I can’t let the league rip us apart. 

Do I save my career…or do I protect a man who deserves a happily ever after? 

Maybe no one can love a beast…
But they haven’t met Cole Hawthorne. 

People say I'm shameless. They're right.

I like my sex dirty. It takes a hell of a lot to tilt my moral compass, and I always follow when it's pointing at something I want. That goes double when it points straight at the one girl in all of Chicago who's not dying for a piece of me.

She's all I can think about, and that's a problem, because she wants nothing to do with me. But I've seen her deepest secrets, her darkest fantasies, and they match mine to a fucking T.

I want her. Bad.

Now I need to show her how good it can feel...to be shameless.

They don’t play for the same team. Or do they?

Jamie Canning has never been able to figure out how he lost his closest friend. Four years ago, his tattooed, wise-cracking, rule-breaking roommate cut him off without an explanation. So what if things got a little weird on the last night of hockey camp the summer they were eighteen? It was just a little drunken foolishness. Nobody died.

Ryan Wesley’s biggest regret is coaxing his very straight friend into a bet that pushed the boundaries of their relationship. Now, with their college teams set to face off at the national championship, he’ll finally get a chance to apologize. But all it takes is one look at his longtime crush, and the ache is stronger than ever.

Jamie has waited a long time for answers, but walks away with only more questions—can one night of sex ruin a friendship? If not, how about six more weeks of it? When Wesley turns up to coach alongside Jamie for one more hot summer at camp, Jamie has a few things to discover about his old friend...and a big one to learn about himself.

Warning: contains sexual situations, skinnydipping, shenanigans in an SUV and proof that coming out to your family on social media is a dicey proposition. (

The Sunday Post/It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

Hey, ladies!

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. It's Monday, What Are You Reading is a fun weekly meme hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date where we share what we've read and reviewed over the past week and what we plan to read next. 


Not much work this week, but it is insanely hot. Too hot to be outside, except for the evening and at night. Don't even get me started on all the bugs! The yellow biting flies are out in full force, and my legs are covered in bites. There's one on each ankle, and it makes it miserable to wear anything besides flip flops. I'm ready to move!

Steps this week:

Sunday - 10,305

Monday - 15,920

Tuesday - 13,597

Wednesday - 14,360

Thursday - 13,873

Friday - 13,689

Saturday - 13,298

Total - 95,042

This Week's Recap

Novellas: Love Them or Hate Them

Top Ten Tuesday: Books My Views Have Changed On

{Book Review} Showmance by L.H. Cosway

TBR Thursday

Cover Lust, No. 26

Coming Up

Birthday Book Haul

Top Ten Tuesday: Beach Reads

Waiting on Wednesday 

{Book Review} Mister O by Lauren Blakely

Cover Lust, No. 27

Read This Week

3 stars!
Audiobook

5 amazing stars!

4-ish stars! Really enjoyable book about turning yourself around from made habits, and a sweet romance. 

Currently Reading

Still finishing this...sigh. They should kill of Lissa and the book would be much shorter and more enjoyable.

Around 30% into this and I actually really like it, despite my normal distaste for fantasy!

I just don't think I'm a fan of this author.

What Will I Read Next?

Cover Lust, No. 26

How do you fix a love that’s been broken beyond repair?

For years, Cassie Taylor tried to forget about Ethan Holt. He was the one great love of her life, and when he failed to return her love, a part of her died forever. Or so she thought. Now she and Ethan are sharing a Broadway stage, and he’s determined to win her back. Claiming to be a changed man, he’s finally able to say all the things she needed to hear years ago, but can she believe him? What makes this time different from all his other broken promises?

Ethan knows he can’t change their tumultuous past, but if he’s going to have any chance of being with the woman he loves, he’ll need to convince Cassie that her future belongs with him.

Don’t miss this stunning conclusion to the unforgettable love story that captivated over two million fans online. 

I really like how vidid and in your face this cover is. The story wasn't awful, either! Better than book one, at any rate. ;)

TBR Thursday

Kimberly @ Kimberlyfaye Reads started a new weekly feature that I'm excited to join in! This feature is to showcase what's on your to be read shelf (or eReader, or Audible library) and see what others think of it. Have you read it? Should I read it or put it back on the shelf? It's a way to dust off the books on your self and decide if they're worth reading!

Swallow, Daughter, pull them in, those words that sit upon your lips. Lock them deep inside your soul, hide them ‘til they’ve time to grow. Close your mouth upon the power, curse not, cure not, ‘til the hour. You won’t speak and you won’t tell, you won’t call on heav’n or hell. You will learn and you will thrive. Silence, Daughter. Stay alive.

The day my mother was killed, she told my father I wouldn’t speak again, and she told him if I died, he would die too. Then she predicted the king would trade his soul and lose his son to the sky.

My father has a claim to the throne, and he is waiting in the shadows for all of my mother’s words to come to pass. He wants desperately to be king, and I just want to be free.

But freedom will require escape, and I’m a prisoner of my mother’s curse and my father’s greed. I can’t speak or make a sound, and I can’t wield a sword or beguile a king. In a land purged of enchantment, love might be the only magic left, and who could ever love . . . a bird?

I've actually picked this up a few times over the course of this week and read a few pages. Fantasy is difficult for me to read, and this book holds true with that. I'm around 20 pages in.

Do you think it's worth making a priority?

{Book Review} Showmance by L.H. Cosway

From Goodreads

Damon Atwood was Hollywood’s golden boy. Having won an Oscar at the tender age of thirteen, he had the life many could only dream about. But his success came at a price, and after a short but fruitful film career, he chose to live a life of obscurity on a remote Scottish island. Almost a decade later he’s finally ready to make his return, starting with a lead role in a musical on London’s West End.

As a choreographer’s assistant, Rose Taylor has always faded into the background. She watches shows come to life from the side lines, but has never craved the attention of stardom. When rumours begin circulating of Damon’s involvement in her latest gig, she doesn’t predict how she will be thrust into the limelight, nor how the mysterious and strangely introverted man will need her to teach him how to be a star again.

Rose knows that show crushes don’t last. Actors fall for each other during the intensity of a production, often losing themselves in their roles. These kinds of affairs burn bright and then they fade. The question is, should Rose let herself shine with Damon, or guard her heart from being broken after the final curtain call? 

Add to Goodreads

My Thoughts*

5 "2016 Favorite" Stars!

*cue dreamy sigh* 

And this is why I adore L.H. Cosway's writing. I loved everything about this novel, and it quickly earned a spot on my "2016 Favorites" shelf. Let's jump right into this review!

Showmance is told in alternating points of view by Damon Atwood and Rose Taylor. Both are in their  twenties and have a passion for the stage, but that's where the similarities end.

Damon is a gifted actor and singer, who's talents garnered him much praise and attention at a young age. Sadly, his career came to a screeching halt after a unspeakable experiences, and he chose to isolate himself in Scotland, on the Isle of Skye. Ten years passed, and he's taking to the stage in London as the lead in Moulin Rouge. Damon is quite shy and a tad socially awkward, not to mention out of touch with the stage life, so it's bound to be interesting.

Rose Taylor is a choreographer's assistant working in London. Despite being a talented dancer, serious stage fright keeps her behind the scenes. Despite a rather...unconventional upbringing and a several relationships with actors that eventually lead to heartache, Rose remains an incredibly sweet and level headed person. She has, however, sworn off ever getting involved with another actor.

Here is where she meets Damon, and sparks fly. A friendship soon turns into a slow building romance between these two unlikely people, but not without a few bumps in the road!

Normally I'm the kind of person that takes anywhere from 15% to 25% of the book to really get into it, really start feeling the characters and immersing myself in the story. That was not the case with Showmance (or any of Cosway's stories, come to think go it). I was hooked from the very first page, and the book didn't let me go. I absolutely devoured it, and couldn't wait to get my hands back on it when I was forced away! The pacing was superb, effortlessly carrying me along the story and keeping me enthralled the entire time. 

I'll be honest and admit I'm usually not a huge fan of dual point of view stories. I like the completely get inside the character's head, and it tends to be a little jarring when I read dual or multi POV books. I was very surprised to find myself loving the alternating perspective here! It worked quite well with the story, each person filling in what the other may have glossed over, and giving a new view on circumstances I otherwise wouldn't have considered. It helped that both voices were so insanely likable!

I wished I'd been born asexual. That way I could just focus on my career and not get sidetracked by pretty men with wandering penises...penii?

L.H. Cosway always does well with her female leads, and Rose was no exception. She didn't have a bitchy or catty bone in her body, and was a truly nice person. Something pleasant to see was her genuine affection for her friends, Damon included. Smart, strong, kind and funny, this heroine was one I thoroughly enjoyed. She was someone I'd love to be friends with!

It's easy to be someone else. Being myself is the problem.

Damon...wow. I've never read a hero quite like him! He was a complete mass of contradictions: strong, yet fragile. Awkward, yet charismatic. Quiet, but sharp and intense. Confident in his talents, but humble. Sweet and gentle, but passionate and fiery. Being in his head was so interesting. I kinda love him, not going to lie.

"The way you move, it bewitches me. When you dance, when I sink inside you, when you come."

Hands down, my favorite part of this story was the pure, sizzling chemistry between Damon and Rose. It's not an insta-love story, but there is a strong connection from the first meeting, and it was 100% believable. Their romance was a slow building once that starts with friendship, something I am a total sucker for. Their relationship felt more deep and meaningful because of that, especially because they didn't hop straight into bed.

Speaking of which, the sexual tension is off the damn charts with these two. The current trend is to have the couple banging their brains out as soon as possible, usually before the 50% mark, and I've forgotten how freaking sexy good, smoldering tension is. It made the climax of their tension (haha, see what I did there?) all the more better.

Panty melting sex, that's all I'm going to say. Well, there is some incredibly sweet and tender moments to go along with it, too!

"Today was perfect, and it was perfect because I got to spend it with you."

Despite both characters having some issues with their pasts, I wasn't drowned in a sea of angst. The author never fails to do angst in a controlled, believable way. They acknowledge their issues and move on with it. I can see her characters as real people. Most other characters, especially in the new adult genre? I have a hard time believing anyone has the time to wallow that much. 

The background of the stage setting was titillating and exciting, the perfect setting for the couple!

Home wasn't a geographical location on a map anymore, it wasn't a place set by four walls and a roof. Home now was a much more intangible, yet solid thing.

She was my home.

My beautiful, sweet, and forever enchanting Rose.

Overall, I was thrilled with this story and can't wait for the next character's book, releasing in 2017. It was engrossing, sexy, funny, relatable, and throughly awesome. Highly recommend!

* I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Top Ten Tuesday: Books My Views Have Changed On

Hey, ladies!

It's Top Ten Tuesday by The Broke and The Bookish! This week's topic is ten books you feel differently about after some time has passed. That can be good or bad, whatever you please!


I don't tend to change my views too much on what I read, so this is a pretty short list. In no real order:

4. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

I disliked this series from the get-go, but the more time that goes by the less I can tolerate it. I just do not understand why this damn series is still so popular. 

3. Charley Davidson by Darynda Jones

Started this series last year and was initially kinda "eh" about it. I actually stopped at book four last summer and didn't pick it up again until this year! I'm glad the desire to try again hit me, because it got so much better with time.

2. Confess by Colleen Hoover

I liked this book a lot when it first release, but after doing a partial reread a few months ago, I see it isn't Hoover's best work (which she's even said!). However, I do love the cover...and just realized there's a woman's face behind the letters. 

1. Mister O by Lauren Blakely 

Finished it Sunday, and rated it 4 stars immediately after completing the audiobook. After thinking about it a bit, I'm dropping it to 3. 

What about you? Which books have you changed your views on?